This invention relates generally to a method of, and a dosage unit for, inhibiting angiogenesis or vascularization in an animal, and more particularly relates to a a method of, and a dosage unit for, inhibiting angiogenesis or vascularization in an animal having an intestinal wall utilizing an effective amount of shark cartilage, particularly finely divided shark cartilage, for passing through the intestinal wall as a suspension for inhibiting, inter alia, tumor growth and metastasis, in particular Kaposi sarcoma; arthritis, in particular rheumatoid arthritis; diabetic retinopathy and neovascular glaucoma; psoriasis and inflammatory diseases with vascular component.
It is known, or has been at least substantially established, that blood vessel growth, development or formation, referred to variously in the art as angiogenesis and vascularization, and referred to hereinafter as angiogenesis, is associated with disease such as diabetic retinopathy, neovascular glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis and tumor growth and metastasis; Folkman, J., Vascularization of Tumors, Sci. Am. 234:58-73, 1976; Lee, A. and Langer, R., Shark Cartilage Contains Inhibitors of Tumor Angiogenesis, Science, Vol. 221, pp. 1185-1187, 1983; Folkman, J. and Klagsburn, M., Angiogenic Factors, Science, Vol. 235, pp. 442-447, January 1987; and D'Amore, P., Antiangiogenesis as a Strategy for Antimetastasis, Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1988, .COPYRGT.1988 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 381 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10016.